Xhobar Zaqhu
Xhobar Zaqhu is an exiled Prince of Tall Trees Town on Walano in The Summer Isles. Appearance Xho carries himself pridefully, nearly never seen without a goblet in one hand, and a woman in another. He wears his chains of gold, exotic furs, and glamourous robes of his native Tall Trees Town. His hair is shaved, and has a goatee to match.Under his garments, tattoos of swirling patterns, birds, trees, and the native language of Walano cover his darkened skin. History Xhobar was born one-and-forty years ago on the island of Walano in the Summer Isles. His parents, Prince Walayala Zhaqu and Xahlae Zoq, had once been the rulers of Tall Trees Town. That all changed when the House of Raaso rose up under a young Princess, who dubbed herself 'Queen'. This 'Queen' soon gathered a following, and used what influence she had to create an army; something only ever done in defense of the Summer Isles. Soon, all of Walano had been taken under her control by a brutal and cowardly campaign of violence and dastardly intrigue. Now, we find Xhobar back home at Last Lament on Walano, but to follow his journey, we must go back to his youth. Youth In his childhood, Xhobar was raised by two loving parents. His father, the Prince of Tall Trees Town, had married the daughter of the neighboring province of Last Lament, to bring an even more balanced peace to the island. Together, Prince Walayala and Princess Xahlae raised Xhobar to be the star successor to Tall Trees Town. It was clear at a young age that Xhobar exhibited the tell-tale signs of being towering. At nine, Prince Xhobar stood at nearly five-feet and seven-inches tall and could lift nearly twice his body weight. Today, he stands at nearly six-feet and eleven-inches tall and is unnaturally strong. Xhobar and his parents traveled the island, spreading their message of peace and unity to all on Walano throughout Xho's early life. Nigh a day went by that Xho did not hear of how Sallar and Shanta, the twin dieties, or the Two-Halves, chose Xahlae and Walayala to bear their message of love and peace. For more than three decades after Xhobar was born, the message continually spread across Walano, and soon to the neighboring isles. Even after his father passed on to live an eternal life with Shanta and Sallar, it seemed that peace would prevail, and through peace, the Summer Isles would have their unity. But that message soon went silent after Xhobar became Prince of Tall Trees Town. The Prince of House of Raaso of Lotus Port had died only days after Xho was bestowed the Goldenheart Bow of House Zhaqu. His daughter, Princess Xhala Raaso, had ideas of grandeur and soon began militarizing Lotus Port. Her army of Skeleton Warriors who bore the bones of their ancestors soon took over the Port, and began spreading throughout Walano. It took less than two moons for the island to devolve into what could only be described as an arid wasteland of warfare and mayhem. Princess Xhala Raaso, now self-dubbed Queen Xhala Raaso, had taken over Last Lament and slew all of House Zoq. Her army of skeleton warriors would soon descend on Tall Trees Town, and there was little they could do. A Life in Exile When the Skeleton Army of the Queen Xhala came to Tall Trees Town, they did what they could do to delay the inevitable. Soon, the men in bones overwhelmed Tall Trees Town, taking what they could, slaying who they wanted, and raping who they did not slay. The pillars of smoke rose all the way to the heavens, clouding the sight of Sallar and Shanta, forbidding love and peace entrance to the isles. Xhobar had escaped, but just barely. Though he fought off many bone men bravely, it was not enough. He had been captured. Xhobar was sent to his knees and forced to watch them brutalize his wife and children. When he closed his eyes, they forced them open. When he screamed, they gagged him. When he fell to the ground, collapsing in sorrow, he was held up and forced to watch as his wife and children fell to the ground, lifeless. Something inside him began to burn. He rose up, slaying his captor with such ease it surprised even himself. The mans neck snapped easier than a twig under his own foot. Soon he was surrounded, but managed to fend off all ten men, slaying them all. It was too late, however, to save his family. He did the only thing he could do: run. Xhobar made it to the port of Tall Trees Town before his ship had been ransacked, and immediately set sail for wherever he could go. Somewhere, anywhere but Walano. He first set sail for Koj, the island just south of Walano. Upon his arrival, however, he was turned away. The Queen had declared Xhobar a traitor and placed a bounty upon his head. It was not safe for him, and Prince Koj refused his request of safehaven, for it would be anything but that if he had stayed in Koj. And so, Xhobar, with what possessions he had left on his ship, left the Summer Isles for a place more safe. Whether it was in a wave of naivety or blissful hope, Xhobar had a small glimmer of hope stored deep inside that some day soon, he would return and see Queen Xhala pay for her tyranny. As he sailed north, a horrid storm came. It was as if even Zhoza, the Goddess of the Waters, was under Queen Xhala's spell. His ship could not take the beating, and was ran ashore on some foreign island, much different from his own. The Prince of the Island, a man named Arthur, did what no Summer Islander would and took him in. His entire crew had perished, and he was severely dehydrated and starved. This man, this Arthur Estermont, who Xhobar soon came to learn was a Lord and not a Prince (whatever a Lord was, Xhobar thought it similar to Prince, and demanded he call him Prince Arthur), took him in and allowed him to stay for as long as he wanted. Soon, he and Lord Arthur became close, and the Lord Arthur became entranced with the ways of the Summer Isles. His want for knowledge knew no bounds, and in exchange for Xho telling him of the customs and culture of Walano and the surrounding islands, Arthur introduced him to Westerosi ales, wines, and many other delicacies he had never heard of. As the years went by, Xhobar became more learned of Westerosi customs, but a life of Walano and Summer Island culture was not so easily forgotten. Arthur even insisted teaching him the fighting ways of the Westerosi. Soon, Xho found himself drawn to blunt weapons, more specifically, a beauty of a black mace made by the smith of metal of Greenstone. The moment when his time on Greenstone was tested the most was their recent visit to King's Landing. There, Xhobar met many more of these Westerosi. He was impressed with this Keep of Red, and the chair of swords, of a thousand swords, and even noticed some Westerosi dressed as splendid as some Summer Islanders, including himself. In King's Landing he met a Lady of the Badgers, who shared his love for archery. Another was a man named Edwyn of Evenstar, or was it Edwyn the Evenstar? The Westerosi titles and names and symbols were still rather very foreign to Xhobar, though he sincerely took a liking to learning them. Another man was a tall man with hair that seemed to be aflame, named Andrew of Blackhaven. Xhobar liked that name little, so he took to calling him Andrew of the Purple Lightning. The Westerosi were an interesting bunch, and that was proven to be even more true soon after King's Landing back at Greenstone. Return of the Prince Back at Greenstone, the island home of Lord Arthur, many men in ships arrived. It was not unusual to see a port full of so many ships, but these ships were different. Longships they called them. And long they were, with many oars. More than Xhobar cared to count. These men, men born of Iron, had come and persuaded Lord Arthur to join them on their conquest. The one woman born of Iron, Yssa, who was born on a cliff of salt, seemed to stick very close to Arthur. Though Xho was at first concerned, and took caution around these iron men, he eventually came to appreciate them and soon, like them. When Lord Arthur knelt before the leader of Iron Men, an Aeron Greyjoy, Xhobar wondered what would come of his allegiance. In his time at Greenstone, he was told of the hierarchy system of Westeros, and how Lord Arthur swore an oath to a Lord Barra of House Theon. But that oath was now gone, and replaced with an oath to the Lord Aeron. Who Arthur followed, Xho followed. And, soon, Xhobar followed the men born of Iron south, south to the Stepstones and even further south. Further, back to the Summer Isles. This is where we now find Xhobar. After the battle of Last Lament, Xhobar and the Ironborn (Xhobar was corrected after calling the wrong ironborn 'man born of Iron' one too many times) plan their grand campaign of Walano. The ultimate goal is to unite the isles under a banner of peace and love. Though, this is the goal of Xhobar. The goal of the Ironborn, well, that may be a very different story. For now, Walano stands waiting to be conquered, and Queen Xhala awaits to be slain. The Prince has returned, and the Prince of Tall Trees Town will have what is his by right, and soon enough, even more. Timeline * 240 AC: Xhobar is born to Prince Walayala Zhaqu and Xahlae Zoq. * 249 AC: Stood taller than most of the population of Tall Trees Town, and became revered as an heir blessed upon Tall Trees Town by the Gods. * 252 AC: Began touring Walano with his parents, spreading the message of Shanta and Sallar. * 275 AC: Prince Walayala passes away, and Xhobar becomes Prince of Tall Trees Town. Soon after, the Prince of Lotus Port passes away and his daughter, Princess Xhala Raaso came to power. * 276 AC: The now self-dubbed Queen Xhala Raaso consolidated what power she could and rose an army of skeleton men. These men wore the bones of their ancestors and swept over Walano, leaving it a hellscape like none-other. * 277 AC: Tall Trees Town falls to Queen Xhala's savagery. Xhobar's family is brutally slain, and he manages to escape by what can only be described as a stroke of luck. He is turned away from Koj, and sails north. * 278 AC: Eventually, Xhobar's ship is overtaken by a storm, and forced aground on Greenstone where Lord Arthur Estermont takes him in. * 279 AC: Learns the art of Westerosi warfare, and becomes more learned in Westerosi customs. * 280 AC: Travels to King's Landing with Lord Arthur and is introduced to many more Westerosi. Lord Arthur, upon return to Greenstone, swore fealty to Lord Greyjoy, and sent all of his men and ships south to take back what was Prince Xhobar's by birth, fulfilling his long-lived promise. * 281 AC: Travels south, and takes back Last Lament from Queen Xhala. Though it is only one victory, and one that came at a cost, it is still a victory nonetheless. Xhala would soon pay for her savagery. Category:Summer Islander